


out of the loop

by cheapsushi



Category: Asagao Academy: Normal Boots Club
Genre: (and this time it’s valid!!!), (y’all are probably older than me haha im like three), Angst, F/M, First Date, First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Jealousy, More tags to be added, Multi Chapter, PBG salt, Secret Relationships, Secrets, asagao fanfiction? in MY 2019???, hooO man no one is happy in this, i know that the whole “jeff route with large pbg salt deposits” has been done but shhshsshs, its my turn now children, it’s more likely than you think, these kids are really ooc im sorry, this might get more angsty later on heck, yo i guess this is fwafl’s spiritual successor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2019-10-14 10:39:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17507042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheapsushi/pseuds/cheapsushi
Summary: jeff and hana try to make their relationship work which is much harder than it should be because apparently they have to hide the fact that they’re a thing.





	1. it’s only the beginning

**Author's Note:**

> man this is literally fireworks and fairy lights 2: jeff boogaloo, and im not even sorry. 
> 
> ive been working on this for a while, and it’s gonna be a multi chapter thing i hope??
> 
> uh anyway i hope you enjoy this because spaceflower is high key underrated bye

“So, who are you thinkin’ about asking to the Flower Festival?”

Mai’s question struck something in Hana: she _did_ have someone in mind to ask, but she didn’t think that Mai’d particularly like the answer.

Jeff: the oldest Hidden Block member, co-captain of the Asagao Strikers, and a person who generally sported a super relaxed composure. From the interactions Hana’s had with Jeff in the past, it was clear that he was a laidback and down-to-earth kind of guy. He was also really intelligent but still fun to be around, what more could you ask for?

“U-uh, probably Jeff?”

Mai quirked an eyebrow. “Um... are you sure you got the right person? You don’t mean Austin, do you?”

“No, I mean Jeff,” Hana shook her head, confused. “Why would I mean Austin?”

“It’s just...” Mai hummed uncomfortably, not sure how to finish the sentence. “Never mind, I’m sure Jeff’s gonna say yes! Well? Go on and get your man!”

Hana stumbled over her words, looking for anything to say to prevent Mai from shoving her out the door, but to no avail.

She sighed. Where would she find him?

 

Hana’s first thought was the soccer field, and as soon as she got there she immediately waved down Austin. He stopped whatever he was doing with his soccer ball, kicking it to McJones, and jogged to meet her.

“Hey, Hana! You wanna play some soccer with us? I’ll go easy on you!”

She shook her head. For some reason, that felt like a bad idea. “Er, sorry, but not today.”

Austin’s shoulders slumped ever so slightly, a small pout forming on his lips. “Oh, that’s okay, I guess.”

She frowned, hoping he didn’t notice her subtle dip in attitude.

Dang, why did this feel so _heartbreaking_? They barely even knew each other!

“Can I help you with something, anyway?”

“Yeah, actually!” He picked up a smile once again, and that made Hana feel marginally better. “Do you know where I could find Jeff?”

If he was pouting before, now it looked like he just took a knee to the gut.

“Oh... Jeff? He just left, but he might come back,” Austin’s attempt to cover up his disappointment went in vain, and Hana tried to come up with an idea of what she could’ve done to upset him. She was given very little time to think, however, and the boy in front of her spoke again. “Um, what do you need to see specifically _Jeff_ for?”

“I, uh,” Hana froze- she couldn’t just say ‘yeah, I kinda want to ask your best friend out on a date because he’s really cute and sweet’, because that seemed more than a little strange in her totally unbiased opinion. “I just needed to ask him something.”

Austin strained a weak smile. “Is that all? You can ask me, and then I’ll tell him what you asked me, and then I’ll tell you what he told me to tell you after.”

That... didn’t really make sense.

“Um, I kind of needed to ask him... in person? Sooner than later, also, would you happen to know where I could find him?”

“But-“ Austin gaped like a fish, at a loss for words. After a moment, he sighed, softly shaking his head. “He’s probably still putting up his campaign posters in the hallways, try the fourth year hall.” He shoved a hand into his pocket, refusing to say any more.

That was good enough for Hana, and she smiled brightly. “Okay, thanks, Austin! I hope that practice goes well for you!” Hana abruptly span around, there was absolutely no time to waste!

As she went, she waved a short goodbye to him. With furrowed brows, Austin forced a grin and stared as she practically sprinted back to the main building.

Thank God it was impossible to physically feel stares.

 

It was hard to tell if Hana was extremely lucky or unlucky today, because as she turned up the stairs and into the fourth year hall, she immediately bumped into Jeff.

Quite literally.

She squeaked as blurs of color filled her vision, leaving her stumbling back on impulse.

As she shielded her face from a potential attacker, a soft gasp and rustling came from in front of her. Hana opened her eyes- Jeff was on his hands and knees, frantically gathering his escaped flyers.

Dear God, where were her _manners_?

“O-oh, my gosh- Jeff, I am _so_ sorry,” Hana knelt down to help pick up the brightly colored papers, and managed not to freak out when her knuckles briefly brushed his hand when she passed the ruffled stack of flyers to Jeff. “I-I really need to watch where I’m going sometimes.”

“It’s not a problem!” Jeff stood up, waving a dismissive hand. “I was done putting up these guys anyway, these ones are just extras.”

Hana twisted herself and looked down the hall- he wasn’t kidding. There was a neon yellow flyer on practically every surface, on the walls and some seemed to be slipped into lockers.

“What brings you here?”

Hana blinked blankly. She had to ask him sooner or later, now was her chance!

“Oh, um, actually, it’s convenient that I found you here because I wanted to ask you something,” She trailed off, opting to take a sudden intense interest in the color of her shoelaces instead.

... _Shit_ , her shoes didn’t have laces.

“Really? Well, what can I help you with?” Jeff flashed her a brilliant smile, illuminating the specks of green in his eyes that Hana adored.

She mentally smacked herself- now was _really_ not the time!

“It’s not something I need help with, per say, but actually something you could _do_ for me?”

Jeff nodded, oblivious to her stress. “Of course! Whatever you need, I will-“

“Would you want to go to the Flower Festival with me?”

Hana slapped a hand over her mouth immediately- that was definitely not how she wanted it to come out. She just _interrupted_ him. Now, he was just staring at her, mouth open in complete and utter shock. _Oh God, she fucked it up again, this was going to be super awkward and he’d never ever want to-_

“Yes! Of course, why wouldn’t I?” She snapped her attention back to Jeff’s face- he was blushing. _Hard_. “Man, I was actually secretly hoping you’d ask me- I intended to ask you earlier, but I totally chickened out. I’m really glad you did it for me!”

He chuckled, and Hana found herself chuckling along. “Wait, really?”

“Uh, _yeah_!” Jeff straight up guffawed, stumped as to why she’d ever question his decisions. “You’re freaking awesome!”

Well then, crisis averted.

After the initial novelty wore off, the two of them stood there in silence. The awkwardness was inevitably on the rise.

“Sorry,” Jeff shook himself out of it, shifting his stack of flyers under his arm. “Hey, would you want to... come with me? I needed to put up more flyers anyway, and I could use an extra hand!”

“But I thought you said you were done with-”

“Oh, forget about what I said! I still need to hit the library!” He grinned warmly, beckoning Hana to follow him. “Come on!”

She smiled. Hana had a good feeling that this was the start of something. What that something was, she wasn’t sure, but it was going to be something, that was for certain.


	2. jeff’s eternal internal dilemma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2/7/19 Edit: okay so ao3 is being weird and said i posted this chapter on february first but i actually posted it on february seventh so haha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took waaay too long to get out, finals are kicking my ass majorly. 
> 
> but hey, it’s here! and ill get the next chapter out as soon as i can :)

Jeff was nervous.

No, that was an understatement. He was straight up _petrified_ of the thought of going on a date with Hana.

...was it a date? And, more importantly, did he  _want_ it to be a date?

The correct answer should have been a one-hundred percent _no_ , but... he couldn’t lie to himself.

He had a crush on her.

He had a crush on Hana Mizuno, the one person he absolutely _could not_  have had a crush on, and yet here he was.

This felt illegal.

Jeff sighed. His stomach was doing flips, and that certainly wasn’t helping the situation. He was standing in front of the mirror for far too long, (his flannel shirt looked _fine_ , for Christ’s sake), and Caddy seemed to notice this, too.

Caddy flopped from his back onto his stomach on the top bunk of their room. “You alright? You look... nauseous.”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Jeff twisted around, shrugging it off. “Just jitters.”

“That doesn’t seem like ‘just jitters,” Caddy sat up, his legs dangling off the edge of his bed. His head brushed the ceiling awkwardly, and he craned his neck down to speak. “You nervous for your date?”

Jeff’s heart leapt out of his chest at that, and he was sure his face was paler than a sheet of printer paper. He turned back to the mirror, not about to let Caddy see that he was, in truth, absolutely terrified. “I-I mean, I guess?”

“Oooh, so you admit.”

“Admit what?” 

A smug grin plastered itself onto the Brit’s face. “You _liiiike_ her.”

Color rushed to his cheeks, and Jeff span around to face his roommate. “Oh, shut up!”

“I won’t, and you know it.” Caddy teased.

Jeff deadpanned, shooting his friend an annoyed glare.

Caddy stretched out his arms, sighing. “Well, anyway, you should head on out. Don’t want to keep the lovely miss waiting!” He waved from his sitting position, beaming with support.

“Thanks, man,” Jeff chuckled, walking to the door. “Wish me luck!”

“Bye!” He closed the door behind him, groaning deeply. What was he getting himself into?

As he walked, he passed Austin’s room. Light filtered under the door, and the soundtrack of Legend of Zilda: Wind Watcher could be clearly heard.

Everything would be fine. It had to be.

 _You don’t have to fall in love with her._ ~~But what if you want to?~~

 _Nothing had to happen, you could just go as friends._ ~~You want something more.~~

 _Yeah, that could work._ ~~Stop lying to yourself.~~

~~You’re already in love with her.~~

 

Jeff was left waiting in the spot they agreed on meeting at: the crossroads between Bluebell and Primrose. It was neutral ground- easy to access and not too crowded. It made it simpler to avoid being noticed.

Noticed by Austin.

He hadn’t told him that he was going with Hana. 

This could only go so well.

“Jeff, hi!” His head spun instinctively at his name, and there she was.

Hana was speed walking towards him, her yukata preventing her from moving any quicker.

She ~~was so pretty~~  looked nice.

“Hana, hey!” She stopped in front of him, blushing a soft, rose red. ~~Was he blushing, too?~~  “You ready to go? I know some cool stalls to hit, but they might run out of the stuff if we don’t hurry!”

“Yeah, I’m excited!” She nodded, and the two of them ambled their way on over to the fairgrounds. It was a fairly decent distance, and Jeff felt the need to fill the space with jokes and general goofiness.

“What do you call a fake noodle?” Hana screwed up her face, then shrugged, glancing back at Jeff.

“An impasta!”

Hana groaned.

“Oh, gosh, that was _terrible_. Have you heard this one?” Hana cleared her throat, and Jeff gave her 110% of his attention. “Knock knock!”

“Who’s there?”

“Cash.” 

This was already going to be a disaster. “Cash who?”

Hana smirked. “Thanks, but I’d rather have peanuts.”

Jeff fucking lost it. “Hey, that one was even _worse_ \- where did you even find that?”

“My best friend growing up told me that one,” She smiled up at him, a ghost of a blush dusting her face. “He’d always come up with the corniest jokes just to make me laugh.”

A twinge of guilt rose from Jeff’s stomach, tightening his throat, but he pushed it back down. “Heh, he sounds like a cool guy in my book!” Jeff turned his lingering gaze on Hana to the skyline- the stars were already out. The pair officially stepped into fair-territory, and Jeff paused to face Hana. “So, what’s sounding like fun right now?”

The protagonist hummed. “I... don’t really know. What is there to do here?”

“Oh, there’s a lot!” Jeff grinned, ready to go full-tangent mode. “There’s a bunch of games, cute little stalls with great crafts, and a ton of the stalls have _really_ good snacks if you know where to look! It might be best to just walk around if you wanted, and we can stop if you see something cool.”

“That sounds good to me!” She beamed at this, and Jeff ~~took note of the way her turquoise irises~~ ~~transformed into a work of art in the yellow lantern light, completely illuminating her presence~~  noticed. “Let’s go!”

As they got on the move, Jeff stalled ever so slightly, shaking his head out of her line of sight. _Keep it together, man._ ~~Let yourself have this.~~

The two of them took their time, not about to be in any rush anytime soon. Jeff may or may not have had to shove his hands in his jean pockets to resist the urge of taking her palm in his. After a few short minutes of ambling, Jeff felt a tug on his sleeve.

“Ooh, those are pretty,” Hana was hardly gesturing, but Jeff knew immediately what she was pointing toward.

Rows of flower arrangements and colorful bouquets lined a wooden countertop just a few feet away. The smell of roses and lavender came in waves through the breeze, engulfing them in a soft comfort.

“Hey, you’re right! You want one of ‘em? I’m buying!” Jeff grinned, and Hana immediately shifted into panicky-ramble mode.

“Oh- no no no, I-I just meant it as a general statement, y-you don’t have to-“ Color rushed to her face, and Hana was debating keeping eye contact like a freakin’ weirdo or looking away like some tsundere anime trope. Neither seemed particularly favorable.

Jeff broke into hysterics at her ~~precious~~ ~~cute~~   ~~adorable~~  laugh-inducing mental predicament. “What?” He struggled out through giggles. “You’re the one who asked me to the festival in the first place- the least I can do is buy you some flowers!”

She closed her mouth and scrunched up her face in defiance. “...fine. But I owe you!”

“Alright, sure, whatever,” A warm smile plastered itself onto Jeff’s face, and he led Hana to the line for the flower stall. “Hey, after this, do you want to head to the bonfire? I hear it’s pretty _lit_.”

Hana let out a deep groan of disdain and an odd sense of pride. “Stop.”

Jeff smirked. “I won’t! My jokes are _fire_ , and you can’t deny it.”

She side eyed him, and immediately after it was their turn in the queue.

A short, chocolate haired girl sporting a pollen-coated apron stood behind the register. “Hey! How can I help you two tonight?”

Her elbows rested on the counter, and Jeff nudged Hana. “Pick anything you like!”

Hana hummed, scanning the display with her eyes. There was such a variety of blooms in so many colors and smells... it was honestly so _dizzying_. Hana craned her neck and stared behind the clerk, and something caught her eye.

“How about those carnations back there?” The attendant nodded and went to work, pulling the white flowers out of their vase and into a plastic wrap. 

Hana fumbled with her purse, reaching for her wallet, but Jeff was one step ahead.

”Hey, I said I got this,” Jeff reassured. “Really, I want to buy them for you.” Hana’s cheeks became thoroughly flushed, and he couldn’t fight back a blush, either. A familiar pressure built in his chest as he stared down at her.

 _Stop it._ ~~Let yourself have this.~~

The attendant returned, a bundle of carnations in hand. Jeff traded it for a few bills, passing the white blossoms to Hana. 

Hana’s smile grew ten times larger, her brows upturning and shoulders bunching. “Thanks, Jeff, I really appreciate this.”

”It’s not a problem at all, glad to do it!” The attendant chuckled. 

“Oh, you two are too cute. Have a great night!”

The blush returned to Hana’s face, and Jeff spoke for her. “Thank you so much!”

He turned to Hana, grinning like a nerd. “So, to the bonfire?”

”Yeah! To the bonfire!”

Like the two absolute dorks these children undeniably were, they leapt to action. Jeff led Hana through the crowd.

Or, more accurately, tried.

There were so many people, it was hard to find a sense of direction at all. Hana couldn’t really tell, but it felt like they weren’t making any progress _at all_ with getting to the bonfire. 

In fact, it felt like they were moving _away_ from the bonfire. 

Jeff grimaced. “Hana, let’s step over here for a sec,” He pointed to an empty, dry-grassed patch to the right. They wove through the sea of adults, pulling out towards the side. 

“Whew, finally we can actually breathe!” Jeff chuckled, glancing back to the crowd. “There is _no_ way we’re getting anywhere in there.”

”So... what do we do now?” Hana inquired. 

“Well, the bonfire is that way,” Jeff directed her view to the pillar of smoke in the distance, small embers flickering within it. “There’s only one thing we can do.”

”...and that is?”

“We _race_.”

“ _No_.”

”Whaaaat? C’mon, it’ll be fun!” Jeff hated to be pleading like this, but it’d really be fun. “Please?”

She affectionately glared at him. “I can barely walk in my yukata, and you expect me to race against your soccer legs?”

Jeff blinked. That was... a good point. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry.” Dang, he was not making a good impression tonight. 

 _That’s a good thing._   ~~Shut up.~~

He glanced into the distance, looking for any easy pathway close by. 

Hana giggled. “Don’t be so serious- I’m not actually mad or anything,” Jeff smiled for an instant, still scanning the crowd directly in front of him-

And then he saw him. 

 _Him_. 

No. No. No no _no no no no no._

Time froze. He wasn’t supposed to be here. He said he wasn’t even planning on showing up to the festival tonight. He said it was just going to be a waste of time. He said he was just going to play Zilda for seven hours straight and yell at the TV when he died.

And yet, there he was: Austin Hargrave, standing next to Shane Gill, chatting away like there wasn’t a care in the world. 

This was bad. Austin couldn’t see him with Hana- Jeff was already betraying his trust and everything that Bro Code stood for.

He had to get out. 

Only a second had passed after Hana had initially spoken. “I-it’s actually really c-cute when y-you-”

She didn’t finish. 

Jeff snatched her flower-filled hand, practically sprinting in the other direction. The carnations went tumbling to the ground, showering white petals everywhere. 

Hana practically screamed in shock, struggling to keep up with Jeff’s soccer-worn legs. “Jeff, what the everliving- slow _down_!”

The grip on her hand lasted, up until Jeff was extremely sure they were out of sight.

As in, the ‘there-was-literally-no-one around-and-they-were-standing-on-the-edge-of-the-festival-under-a-convenient-lamppost-for-some-reason’ kind of out of sight. 

They came to a halt, and Hana let go of Jeff’s hand to double over. “Jeff... what.. the _fuck?”_ Hana panted out. “I know I said not to take it so seriously, but I didn’t mean _that_!”

”I... I’m sorry, Hana,” Jeff sheepishly rubbed his sleeve, leaning on the lamppost for support. Whether it was for physical or emotional support was up for debate. “I just, I didn’t want...”

Hana glanced up at him. He seemed... really conflicted. “Jeff?”

Jeff avoided eye contact. “I-I just saw Austin and Jared, and I didn’t want them to see us.”

It was the bullshittiest excuse, it wasn’t even one hundred percent true. God, this was such a disaster, this was never meant to-

“I understand.”

His head snapped back up in attention. “You... do?”

Hana nodded. “Yes, I didn’t tell Normal Boots that I asked you out to the Flower Festival, either. I understand. Really.”

”Oh. Yeah. Normal Boots.” That worked. 

Jeff’s expression was indiscernible. His face was a mix of shame and guilt, but with underlying tones of relief and hope. 

“...Jeff?” He blinked back into reality, staring back into Hana’s eyes. “Hey, is everything okay?”

Jeff’s mind travelled back to a chat he had with his best friend not too long ago.

Everything, in fact, was not okay. 

 

“ _So, what did Hana need you for?”_

_”What?” Jeff had barely just walked into the locker room, and he was already bombarded by a question he did not want to answer._

_Austin twisted his locker combination into his lock, tossing Jeff his cleats. “Hana, yesterday she came to the field looking for you.”_

_His heart stopped. He couldn’t tell Austin that. It would break his heart. He couldn’t do that to him._

_In a moment of panic, he lied._

_“Oh, she just wanted to see how my campaign was going. She’s caring like that, y’know?”_

_”Yeah.” Austin cleared his throat, slipping out of his shirt and into his jersey. “Hey, Jeff?”_

_”What’s up, Peebs?” Jeff pulled his leg up onto the bench, pulling his shoelaces together._

_”Do you think... do you think Hana remembers me?”_

_His hands stalled. Jeff faked a cough. “Sorry?”_

_“I mean, I just can’t help but think that there’s something up with this whole thing- she has to remember me, right?”_

_Jeff could practically hear his heart drop into his stomach. He kept his composure. “Well, how can you be sure that she’s the same girl from your childhood?”_

_”I just **know** she is, Jeff,” Austin sighed, leaning back on his closed locker. “She just has to be. She’s still so bright and incredible, at least from what I remember of her. I mean- I don’t know what I’d do if she didn’t actually remember me.” His friend chuckled weakly, unaware of Jeff’s eternal internal dilemma._

_”She meant so much to me, and any guy would be so lucky to end up with her. I just... I hope that guy ends up being me.”_

_This was too much to process._

_“Jeff? Hey, buddy, you’re lookin’ a little nervous there- it’s okay, I know we’re gonna win this game!”_

_Austin flashed him a naive grin. “You and me- together! Best friends, right? Through everything!”_

_Jeff forced a smile. “Yeah... through everything.”_

 

 _“..._ Jeff?” And suddenly, he was back in the present. Jeff could almost feel a whisper of a weightless hand on his.

Wait, no, that part was real.

He blinked down at Hana. Her hand was really cold, but so, mesmerizingly  _soft._

_He wanted to hold on forever._

Jeff returned the grip on her hand, lacing their fingers together like two pieces of fabric.

He stared down at her breathtaking presence, the weight of unspoken guilt crashing down on him like a flood of debris.

“ _She’s still so bright and incredible.”_

He felt horrible. He felt horrible for being here. He felt horrible for _enjoying himself._ He could only imagine the look of pained betrayal in his best friend’s eyes, how their bond would just wash away in an instant. 

“ _She meant so much to me, and any guy would be so lucky to end up with her.”_

Maybe Jeff was just lucky. 

“ _I just... I hope that guy ends up being me.”_

Or maybe Jeff was just horribly unlucky for falling in love with the one person he absolutely could not fall in love with. 

“ _Best friends, right?”_

Jeff couldn’t do this. He couldn’t be in love with her. He couldn’t do that to him. It would tear Austin apart- it would tear the _both of them_ apart.

He couldn’t handle that. 

But... he couldn’t lie to himself. 

He was already in love with her. 

” _Through everything!”_

Maybe... just this once...

He could do something selfish.

Jeff cupped Hana’s cheek with his unoccupied palm. Her face was candy crimson and Jeff was certain his was, too.

That was hardly a problem. 

He leaned in slowly, pressing his lips against hers for the first time. She smelled like carnations and sugar, and all of their stress melted away under this bittersweet embrace.

Jeff lured her closer, supporting them against the lamppost, drowning them in a marigold glow. 

Nothing mattered right now. Not the stress of his campaign, not the looming threat of college a few short months ahead of him, not even the opinions of his best friend on this situation. All he needed was _this;_ kissing Hana Mizuno all cliche under a lamppost when everything was just alright. 

All good things come to an end, and Hana pulled away, illuminatingly breathless. “Why... did you do that?”

Jeff shrugged, running a hand through her hair. “I don’t know, but I really liked it.”

A start of a smile tugged on her lips. “Yeah, so did I.”

”Do you... want to do it again?”

She nodded wordlessly. He pulled her back in.

This still felt so illegal.

But he let himself have this. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> man it’s late and im sorry it took so long to update!! finals are almost over, and i will be able to update more regularly now. :D
> 
> thank you for reading, have a great night/day/whatever time it is for you <3


	3. romeo & juliet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SO SORRY THIS TOOK FOREVER AND ITS NOT EVEN A THOUSAND WORDS
> 
> my emotional state has not been very cooperative lately, and im really so sorry. i’m trying my best to get back into the funk though! <3

The cafeteria was insanely busy, as always. Hana sat beside Mai, only partially paying attention to Austin’s angry rant about My Sins from across the table.

Idly poking her pasta, she glanced over to the Hidden Block table; Jeff was chatting happily to Ian, his hands motioning everywhere and smile wide. He must’ve been really invested in whatever he was talking about if he was that animated. It was cute.

Hana shifted in her seat and pulled out her phone, holding it close to her chest.

She typed something into the keypad, hearing it send with a satisfying chime.

[Hanuu] 12:37 - <3

Her eyes turned to Jeff. 

He look surprised at Ian for a mere second, holding up a hand to tell him to wait.

Jeff’s face shone as he pulled out his phone and stared down at his screen, his cheeks tinted baby pink. He glanced to Hana for a moment before typing something in return.

[Joof] 12:37 - 7:^D <3

“Hana,” Mai whispered from her side. “You’re not even being subtle, you might wanna stop.”

Mai nudged her friend. Hana looked up from her phone, surveying the table. Everyone was chatting amiably to one another, not focused on Hana at all.

Well, everyone except for Shane.

He and Hana made eye contact for barely a second before she snapped her eyes away. Out of her view, he frowned with disapproval and suspicion.

Hana murmured a soft sorry to Mai, trying to avoid the anxiety-inducing stares of a certain British prick.

The lunchbell rang minutes later, signaling that it was time to return to the hell hole called class. In her pocket, Hana’s phone rang once more.

[Joof] 12:40 - Meet me outside Poppy Hall, k?

[Hanuu] 12:40 - Okay

“Mai, Jeff wants to meet me outside,” Hana murmured barely above a whisper to Mai, aware of the fact that there were still people around with great listening skills and prejudice against her. “I’ll see you in class, alright?”

Mai whined. “Hana, you _know_ you have to tell Normal Boots about your guys’ thing sooner or later, right? It’s been, like, two months.”

“A month and a half, actually,” Mai gave her a deadpan stare that practically screamed annoyance. “We’re just... not ready.” Hana shifted a textbook under her arm uncomfortably. “I’m just worried that they’ll outcast us for being together- Hidden Block and Normal Boots _are_ rivals, after all.”

Mai screwed up her face, glancing at Hana. “But they’re still friends, though! I’m just saying, girl, this is how the anime bullshit goes down.”

Poppy Hall was coming into view. “It’ll be fine, hopefully.” She muttered, doubt forming in her head as she pulled to the side. “See you in a few minutes.”

Like a good, supportive best friend, Mai discarded her initial annoyance. “Okay, Juliet, go find your Romeo.”

Hana snorted. “Bye!”

She stood outside the hall, completely out of sight from everyone except for a few birds. They wouldn’t say anything, though. Not like they could in the first place. 

An agonizingly long minute later, an ecstatic Jeff came into view.

“Hana!” He checked behind him, making sure no one was spying on them, before pulling her into a quick kiss. “Sorry, got held up in the crowd for a bit.”

“That’s alright,” Hana took his hands in hers, swinging them gently. “How are you?” 

“Doing good, now that I get to see you,” Jeff grinned, leaning in for another kiss. “Speaking of which-“

He pulled away, looking down at Hana. “Do you want to hang out later? I mean, only if you’re not busy.”

Hana chuckled. “When am I ever busy?” Then she really thought about it. “Wait... where could we even hang out? The dorms aren’t exactly ever empty, and everywhere else is open ground. It’s not very practical...”

Jeff waved a hand to that. “There’s always the rooftops! Trust me, literally _no one_ goes up there.”

“I... don’t know, Jeff.” She shied away, quirking a brow. “It’s just so risky. Someone could see us.”

A thick tension hung in the air. Hana obviously was not very keen with the idea of what Normal Boots would think of their thing. But honestly, Jeff couldn’t give two shits about what they thought.

...well, except for Austin. Jeff gave many shits for Austin. Exactly the reason why he was being so secretive about dating his best friend’s crush behind his back.

Shoot, the guilt was coming back to him.

Jeff shook it off. “Well, we can go tonight, then- besides, what’s life without a little risk taking and adventure?” He pouted. “C’mon, pleaaaase? For me?”

Hana sighed. The fact was obvious: they couldn’t be seen together, and sneaking around at night was basically _begging_ to be caught. She gathered all her willpower, forcing herself to stay a strong, sensible, and rational young woman.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to overcome his goddamn puppy eyes.

“Okay, _fiiiine_ ,” Hana was tugged into yet another hug, Jeff planting kisses to the top of her hair. She tried prying herself from his grasp, but he wouldn’t let go. “Hey, I need to get to class, Jeff!”

“So soon?”

“Yeah,” He whined a little bit as she escaped, frowning at her. “I’ll see you tonight, though!”

“Can’t wait.” Jeff grinned, adjusting the straps on his backpack. He started walking, making a heart with his hands as his girlfriend walked the opposite way. Hana gestured one back, finally slipping out of sight.

A lovestruck smile hit Jeff’s face, his heart doing somersaults in his chest. He was really so lucky to end up with her. 

Tonight couldn’t come quick enough. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> follow me on tumblr! @aliiteralmess (it’s mostly just grookey and pokemon cough sorry)
> 
> chapter four is just gonna be PURE FLUFF, just a heads up ;)


	4. just you & i with the sky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ohh man this took me. too long. sorry. kinda. 
> 
> also if you don’t follow my tumblr (@aliiteralmess) go do that??? if you want. cause on there i put out an announcement??
> 
> i mean, like, im writing a harry potter au rn??? it’s crazy stupid.

Clouds were barely visible against the sky, hardly just ethereal wisps of vapor. Jitters were for sure getting the best of Hana tonight, her knees wobbling with every step she made.

She told herself this was all fine. Not nerves or any of that crap. It was   _definitely_ just excitement; she finally got to spend real, quality time with Jeff! This hadn’t happened since the Flower Festival, it was going to be fun!

...or maybe, it really _was_ just nerves. Pure, nervous energy flowing through her veins. Everything about this was just... totally against the rules. First of all, it was _way_ after curfew, they could be caught by security, and that sure wouldn’t help her already poor social status.

Second off, Jeff and Hana weren’t even _allowed_ to be together in a social aspect. They didn’t make sense! They were just two kids from totally different worlds, a modern Shakespearean romance. Going against all rules and logic. A couple of felons running among a crime-free society.

 

This felt illegal.

 

But hey- they were partners in crime together, and they were going to enjoy themselves, goddamnit.

The crossroads between the Bluebell and Primrose Houses was suddenly under her feet, and Hana pulled out her phone. The ripe time of 10:28 shone on her screen, and Hana sent a quick text to her roommate to reassure that she wasn’t currently getting kidnapped or anything.

Mai knew about their whole plan, of course, she wouldn’t have it any other way. It wasn’t like she didn’t trust Jeff or anything, he was a pretty decent guy! It was just the fact that they were hiding everything in the first place was what concerned her.

But obviously, she’d never say it aloud. Sure, she was afraid of how this scenario would turn out, but Mai had been through much worse with Hana in the past.

In comparison, this would turn out perfectly fine.

Hana impatiently tapped her foot against the pavement, her back pressed against the smooth, cool metal of a lamppost. She sighed; Jeff should’ve already been here by now.

“Hana!” Well, speak of the devil. 

“Jeff, you’re here!” He jogged up to meet her, immediately yanking Hana into an embrace. 

“Yeah, I am!” He chuckled, pulling away and lacing his fingers with hers. “Ready to go?”

“Of course!”

 

Jeff held open the door to the rooftop, his chest warming up as he saw his girlfriend practically run to the center.

Hana spun on her heel, taking in the sights. “Wow, Jeff, this is...“ She stopped short, at a total loss for words.

“Pretty cool, huh?” He ambled over to where she stood, hands in his pockets. “I was sure you’d like it!”

Jeff looked up to the sky: every single star was out, a work of art against the inky black midnight. Not a single wisp of cloud was out anymore, leaving an open view.

The boy took a seat, tugging a giggling Hana down with him. They sat in silence, Jeff’s arm slinking around Hana’s waist, pulling her closer. Her head nestled into his shoulder, completely comfortable.

“You see those stars there?” The vibrations of Jeff’s voice echoed in Hana’s head, his hand pointing out to the night.

“Which ones?”

“The bright ones that make up the Big Dipper.”

“Hmm... oh! Now I see them!”

A soft giggle. “Well, little known fact, but the Big Dipper is actually a part of a bigger constellation called Ursa Major.”

“Huh. I didn’t know that, that’s pretty neat!” Hana craned her neck, pecking Jeff on the cheek. “When did you get interested in space?”

“I don’t really remember,” Jeff shrugged. “I just always have, I guess. Another little known fact, my dream job was an astronaut growing up. Cute, huh?”

Hana snickered, taking his hand in hers. “I can totally picture you with those dorky glow-in-the-dark ceiling stars all over your room growing up.”

“Hey! They’re cool, okay?” Jeff laughed, shoving his girlfriend playfully. “End of discussion. I’m sure you had them, too.”

She shook her head. “No, I never really got into them. My friend did, though.”

Jeff’s heart sank as she continued. 

“He said it would give him superpowers if he stared at them hard enough, but the only thing they gave him were headaches.” She snickered, fully expecting Jeff to snicker along. 

He didn’t.

“...Jeff?”

He was quiet, the only noise being the wind and their breath. 

Yet another intrusive thought wracked his mind. 

 

_“Dude, have you seen the new girl?” Jeff walked by his best friend’s side, conjuring up an image of the aforementioned ‘new girl’._

_“Hmm... pink hair? Glasses?”_

_“Bro- there’s never any new kids, you gotta be joshing me! It’s obvious! But yeah. Pink hair. Glasses.”_

_Jeff swung open Bluebell’s door, holding it for Austin. “Well, duh! Her name’s... Hannah?”_

_“Hana, but yeah.”_

_“Oh,” Jeff snickered, shoving Austin into the wall. “Same difference. She seems pretty cool.”_

_She really was pretty cool. Sure, Jeff had never really talked to her much, but she seemed nice enough. There was something indescribably... alluring about her. Just her presence alone had a whole essence to it, comforting and warm._

_...So maybe she wasn’t just pretty cool._

_She was pretty._

_Just... pretty._

_Austin’s steps faltered, his previously bubbly vibe gone. “Do you think she’s... pretty?”_

_Jeff glanced at his friend. “Sure? But, I mean, not as preeeetty as youuuu, baaabe.”_

_A smile returned his best friend’s cheeks, and with a breath he spoke. “I feel like I know her from somewhere. Like, from a long time ago. I’m thinking... maybe I saw her at a store once or something?”_

_Austin shook his head, Jeff glancing at him. “What’s recognizable about her?”_

_The taller boy pulled his lips into a dash, merely shrugging. “I mean, I just feel like... I already know her. The face, the name, her pink hair-“_

_He stopped so suddenly it gave Jeff whiplash. “Oh my **God**.”_

_“Uhh, Earth to Austin?” Jeff spun around, waving a hand in his bro’s face. Austin’s expression was as blank as a fish’s._

_“She’s... oh my God, she’s **Hana**.” He picked up a smile, bouncing where he stood. “Jeff! Holy crap! She was my best friend growing up!”_

_Austin moved a hand to his hair. He looked about ready to cry, and all Jeff could do was merely stand and watch._  

_“Oh man, she’s actually **her** \- I can’t believe it, she’s legit my match- I can’t even think, man, it’s really...”_

_He continued for quite some time, and an odd pit settled in Jeff’s stomach. A growing sensation of static rose in his ears, and Jeff’s chest tightened._

_There was no explanation for how he knew, the inevitable acceptance._

_He just knew in that moment that all Hana could be to him was nothing more than ‘pretty cool’._

 

Jeff shook himself out of his head, rubbing his face with a palm. “Ah, sorry, sorry, I was just... thinking.”

Hana blinked for a few seconds before nodding, putting some breathing space in between her and Jeff.

However much time passed, they didn’t know. The couple stared wordlessly at the sky: clouds were beginning to congregate.

The pink haired girl took a deep breath, then spoke. “We need to tell Normal Boots. About us.”

“What?” Jeff whipped his head around to face her. He looked, in truth, absolutely terrified.

Hana grimaced, shying away. “I knew you’d react like that, but I-I just- I’m tired of hiding. I don’t think they’ll hate us or anything, and if they do, then it’s their problem.”

“Hana, please, you don’t understand,” Jeff pleaded, taking her soft hand in his rougher one. “I’m just, not ready. But when I am, I promise we’ll tell them. Together.”

Hana’s brows were furrowed in thought. She looked... apprehensive, but she shook it off. “You’re right. Whenever you’re ready, we don’t need to rush.” She brought his hand to her lips, kissing it gently.

He gave her a soft, half-lidded eyed smile. “Thank you.” Tilting her chin with his free hand, he brought her into a gentle kiss. 

When he pulled back, Hana took the opportunity to scoot back in closer, resting on him.

“I’m sorry for screwing everything up again,” Jeff murmured out, borderline sorrowfully. “This was supposed to be nice and chill, and I just had to ruin it.”

“Hey, no, you didn’t do anything wrong,” Hana reassured sleepily. “I promise. We’re still up here, and we’re still happy, so let’s enjoy it, huh?”

Jeff smiled into the chaste kiss he pressed to her freshly washed hair. “I don’t deserve you.”

Hana yawned, shifting to lay her head in his lap. “Yes, you do.” He opened his mouth to retort, but she pressed a finger to his lips to stop him. “Shh! I want to sleep, so just...”

And like a light, she was out. How did she fall asleep so fast?

Jeff chuckled lightly, brushing Hana’s bangs out of her face. His thumb rested on her jawline, and he took one last look at the stars.

They were gone.

Just milky clouds. 

A soft sigh filtered through his nose. “I really don’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hecc
> 
> next chapter posting: whenever i feel like it?????? idk 
> 
> sorry im sassy it’s past my bedtime
> 
> jk
> 
> kind of


	5. undeniably a loathsome situation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hheck,, 
> 
> happy third asagao?????
> 
> wow it’s three,,, a whole 1,095 days. ???
> 
> anyway this chapter,,, doozy. hurt to write
> 
> have fun

Hana and Jeff continued to have midnight dates as regularly as humanly possible, carelessly disregarding the curfew and social rules to the bitter end. Years seemed to pass since their first official outing; secrets had been spilled and feelings have been released in the comfort of each other’s embrace under the looming expanse of the sky. 

Things were perfect. 

Or, at least they _were_ , up until they _weren’t_. 

It started with a text, as simple as that. Nothing more, nothing less, just a simple bit of information that threw everything haywire. 

[Joof] 11:48 - Hey I’ll meet you up there!! I’m just gonna grab something really quick, it’s a surprise 7;^)

Hana thought nothing of this. Why should she have? It wasn’t like anyone was spying on them- they were careful in the past, and even when they weren’t, _nothing_  happened. Obviously this night was going to be the same! 

So Hana didn’t think much of actions or consequences sitting and waiting on the rooftop, staring down at the little lampposts dotting their campus. She didn’t think much of anything anymore; idle, she was, sat stroking a leaf waiting for her lover to arrive. 

She didn’t think much of the recognizable, exciting click of the rooftop door, and she didn’t think much when she called out to the newcomer. 

Well. She sure as hell should have thought this time. 

“Oh, you’re here!” Hana spoke before she spun. “I was-“ Hana twisted herself, fully expecting to see a familiar lemon colored varsity jacket. 

Only to be met face to face with the last person on the surface of the earth she ever wanted to meet up here. 

Shane.

Oh God no. 

He stumbled, obviously startled, a single hand left on the door handle. “...Hana?” 

Millions of panicked thoughts attacked her head like Satanic wasps. Her face paled, mouth hung open in shock. 

“What are you doing up here?” Shane took a few steps closer, his hand pulling from his lingering grasp. “What’s... going on?”

“Oh, nothing!” Hana blurted out the first thing that came to mind, hands waving in panic. “I-I just, uh, wanted some fresh air!”

Shane didn’t buy that. “You sounded like you were expecting someone,” Hana scooted back farther as he took a few more cautious steps towards her. “So tell me: what’s going on?”

He punctuated each word with a painful pause. His glare could’ve pierced metal, dull blue eyes a cautionary shade. 

Hana’s throat caught, and she sheepishly stuttered. “W-well, you sssee, uh-“

Another clink of a door handle. 

Through the door, a beaming boy, eyes closed, called out for his companion. “Hana, hey! Sorry I’m late, but I brought-“

His eyes opened in his monologue, abruptly cutting him short as the color drained from every pore in his body. The juice pouches and chip bags previously held in his hands thudded to the floor. 

No one moved. No one blinked. No one even breathed; this was an awful situation, to say the very least. In fact, it was _much_ more than awful. Was there a word much more awful than awful? 

Well, of course there was a word more awful than awful. Many words. But which one to use? Dreadful? Heinous? Or how about loathsome?

Yeah, loathsome could work. 

This was undeniably a loathsome situation. 

With eyes flicking from Jeff, then to Hana, and back to Jeff, Shane sighed. “...The both of you. _What_ is going on between you?”

He stood there, waiting for some sort of answer. Jeff and Hana gaped wordlessly at each other, hearts pounding out of their chests. 

“Shane, really,” Hana stood up, getting Shane’s attention. “Nothing is-“

“Hana, you and I both know what utter bullshit that is,” The Brit spat, interrupting her futile attempt to stall her fate. “If nothing was going on, then why the hell did you two just _happen_ to be up here, waiting on one another?”

Hana’s fists clenched, her breathing quickened. Across the balcony, Jeff stood scared out of his mind. Petrified. He was thinking of everything and nothing at the same time, completely panicked. 

The couple’s eyes linked. For a second, Hana swore she saw a slight shake of her boyfriend’s head, a wary plead to not do what she was about to do. 

She set her brows, eyes cast to the floor, and ripped off the band aid against Jeff’s wishes.  

“...We’re dating.” 

She tilted her gaze back up- Shane was... indifferent. Puzzled. Stone-faced, as ever. 

With a huff, he put a hand to his temple. “Why?”

Confusedly, Hana tried to retort, but the rival interjected: “No, not _why_ \- frankly, I don’t give a shit as to who you copulate with. But just... _why_ did you bother to not tell anyone? To go behind everyone’s backs like this? How _long_ has this been a thing?”

Shane’s voice rose, and he flickered between Jeff and Hana. Jeff, for whatever reason, was no help at all. His face was empty, and Hana was left to fend for the both of them. Thanks for everything, Jeff. 

She hesitated. “Since the Flower Festival.” 

“The Flower Festival?! That’s three months!” Shane balked, uncharacteristically fiery. “We’ve got a tournament coming up, and you’re representing us- how can we _trust_ you if you won’t even tell us your romantic status?” 

“Shane, man, just calm d-“ Jeff started, but the recipient refused to listen.

“Don’t _‘Shane, man’_ me. I thought you were supposed to be the responsible one in Hidden Block, so why was it suddenly so important to hide something like this?” 

Shane thrust out his arms, obviously upset. “What _is_ your excuse? Tell me, so I can better understand this situation!”

Jeff shrugged, avoiding both the pairs of eyes on him. “...There isn’t one.”

The relationship in question waited for a response. Shane nodded his head slightly, to no one in particular. “There isn’t one.”

He repeated those three words softly, processing them.

For a while, the only sounds Hana could hear was the soft wind and her own pounding heartbeat. 

The prosecutor stood idly. With a sigh, he took a sweeping glance of the occupants of the rooftop. “You both realize everyone needs to know. And if you aren’t going to tell them-“ 

The Brit shook out himself, shoving his hands his pockets. He pushed passed Jeff, stopping just before the stairwell. 

Shane’s last remark echoed like a gunshot. 

“I’ll do it for you.”

His steps became quieter as he descended. Hana let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Her throat caught, and she struggled to catch another.

“He’s... going to tell them. He’s telling _Normal Boots_ ,” The protagonist’s line of sight rose involuntarily; Jeff was slowly making his way to her, hands limp at his sides. 

Fighting back tears, (this really _wasn’t_ a good time), Hana tried stuttering out an apology: “Jeff, I’m so s-sorry- I didn’t kn-now what else t-to do, I screwed up-“

Jeff pulled his girlfriend into his arms, his heart whisking into dust as she crumpled into his jacket. “I-I didn’t mean to- I’m sorry, I should’ve done- I _never_ meant for th-this-“

A hand went to pull her closer to his chest, and the other stroked her hair lightly, hoping to provide even the most minuscule amount of solace. 

“Shh, sweetheart,” Hana’s sobs continued, her head wracked with undeserving guilt. Her fists clenched at the warm fabric in front of her, desperate to clutch onto something, _anything_. “It’s going to be okay, I promise. It’s not your fault. None of this is your fault. Everything is going to be okay.” 

But even when he said this, Jeff knew it wasn’t true. Even when Hana calmed down, he knew it wasn’t true. Even with every reassuring promise and happy thought he could drag up, even when he was at the point where he could almost convince even _himself_ with his own words, he knew it wasn’t true. 

Everything was only going to be downhill from here. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this entire chapter was basically just “shane no”  
> “shane YES”
> 
> and im only a little sorry


	6. talk shit, get hit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: minor mentions of violence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh shit here we go with the d r a m a
> 
> this is so much fun

No sleep came to Hana at all that night. Troubled with tossing and turning, there was only one thing on her mind:

They were doomed. 

Simply put. 

Jeff sure did try to reassure her they weren’t, and Mai held her close when she got back to their dorm and promised to kick everyone’s ass- hell, even Hana herself tried convincing her anxiety-ridden mind that this wasn’t the end of the world.

But every second that went by, every thought that passed through her head, it wasn’t going to stop anything. 

The clock was ticking.

It was only a matter of time before everything went to shit. 

 

Before she could really fathom it, Hana’s feet were on autopilot, dragging her to breakfast against her will. 

She wasn’t even hungry, because hell- even the smallest portion of guilt and dread was a three course meal in itself. 

Perhaps it was the feeling of responsibility that pulled her, like gravity and a piano being pushed out of a seven story window. 

The weight of the situation was too heavy to avoid. 

...might as well get this over with, right?

With a scared breath and Mai’s comforting presence by her side, she pushed open the cafeteria doors. 

“-damnit, Jeff! What the _hell_?!”

Nice to know things were already going well in here. 

Austin was stood up at the Normal Boots table, his hands slammed angrily onto its surface. His shaky shout reached the other side of the cafeteria; Jeff sat petrified with his fellow Hidden Block members, who all looked as equally as concerned as the rest of the room. 

“You really crossed the line this time, jerk face!” The chair previously under Austin skirted behind him, the tall boy making his way to his friend. 

Well, seeing where this was going, were they still going to be friends after this?

“What happened to telling each other everything, huh? ‘Best friends?’ Yeah right,” Austin snarled. The recipient sank back with a guilty glance away. “What, are you too good for me now that you’ve got Hana, your secret girlfriend? Secret, as in, the one you never _told_  me about?”

Throughout the cafeteria, hushed whispers broke out in a pandemic. This was _surely_ going to be the talk of the town now, an unstoppable train with a one-way destination. Austin didn’t seem to care- in fact, he seemed to appreciate it.

Hana could do nothing but stand nervously in the doorway next to Mai, her legs and mouth were frozen; for once, she conveniently wasn’t magically in the spotlight. Instinctively, Mai pushed her friend to the side, body held in a protective stance. 

Jeff got to his feet. Trying for forgiveness was never going to work, that was obvious, but he could at least try to explain himself. “Austin, look... I’m sorry. All of this is my bad, can we just-“

Austin cut in, completely ignoring whatever Jeff brought up: “You remember _exactly_ what we talked about, man, so there’s no point in acting like the victim!”

Perhaps Jeff was just too tired and frustrated, but in that moment it felt like a great idea to start getting defensive. He pulled his mouth into a dash, annoyance building. “Okay, _listen_ \- if you won’t even let me talk, then at least let’s go work this out somewhere else. Try being the bigger person for once and be civil about this.”

If Austin was pissed before, now he was fucking _piiiiissed_. “Be civil? Whatever!” His voice rose, and he drew closer to Jeff. “I don’t even know what that word means, so it doesn’t affect me!”

Somewhere in the background, Ian stared into the camera like he was on The Office. 

“You’re acting unreasonable, just let me-“

“Oh, so _I’m_ the unreasonable one?” The two of them were mere inches apart now, and had this been a different story it would have looked like they were just about to make out in the middle of the cafeteria. “Hey, at least _I’m_ not the guy who’d pull crap like this!”

Frustration took over Jeff’s speech, unfortunately. “Well if you’re so perfect and proud, why don’t you just say what’s on your mind? We both know you’re dancing around the fact that you’re just _jealous!_ ”

Austin paled. Hana’s mind became ten times more conflicted and cluttered. 

He was what? 

Jealous? Of... what, exactly? 

The hitched-ness of Austin’s shoulders slackened ever so slightly, and Jeff took the opportunity to control the confrontation.

“So you can _stop_ guilt-tripping me for doing something _you_ were too afraid to do in the-“

It was like a trigger was pulled in Austin’s head, a thorn in his side that irked him. 

Irked him enough to send a punch nailing into Jeff’s jawline. 

Jeff fell away, his hand shot up to the mark his rival left. A collective, audible gasp echoed throughout the room, leaving only a thick silence in its wake. 

The targeted side of his head was quickly becoming a solid ruby red, and it did absolute wonders bringing out the fright filled green in Jeff’s wide eyes. 

Fright was replaced with aggravation, and his brows quickly knit together. 

Austin’s stance broke as he realized what he’d done, gaping in reflection of himself. “Jeff, I-I’m-“

Whatever he was going to say was interrupted by Jeff’s own retaliation- a punch of his own straight to the gut. All of the air was knocked out of Austin, sparking a fire. 

The chaos commenced- both boys struggled to cause as much pain as they could to one another, no matter the cost. They grappled in the center of the room, and starting from somewhere in the back, the iconic ‘fight’ chant grew from a single voice to a chorus. 

Hana’s eyes drifted to the Normal Boots and Hidden Block tables; no one was moving. If anything, it looked like Jimmy was joining in on the chanting. 

Mai let go of Hana’s arm as she grumbled, dragging herself to the middle. She couldn’t just stand there and watch- God, these boys were so _useless!_

“Come _on_ , guys!” Her words were a shout, as abrupt as a gunshot. Mai pushed in between the boys, stomping on both of their feet without hesitation. Instantly, they fell away with a yelp. “Cut it out!” 

She stomped again, feeling some sort of sadistic satisfaction as they flinched away. A hand went up to her temple, the beginnings of a headache coming on. Being this close to two victims of Dumb Bitch Disease wasn’t great for your health. “You two... are such dumbasses.”

She exhaled, her hand falling slightly as she angled it out. “Jeff, look- you’re a decent enough guy. Hana likes you,” The whispers started up again, but she shot them down with a growl. “And I trust her judgement. But _this_ -“

Mai thrusted her arms out. 

“This is on you- got it? You’re one-hundred percent at fault and you can’t act like the victim here.” Jeff’s face flushed in embarrassment and realization, and he nodded softly, not daring to fan the flame. “ _Buuut_ -“

She whipped around faster than a flash of lightning, jabbing a finger dangerously close to Austin’s face. 

“That _does_ _not_ give _you_ the excuse to pull this complete _horse_ _shit_ off, got it?!”

He made no move to answer, paralyzed. Unfortunately, that only added to Mai’s increasing irritation. 

She groaned. “Do I need to spell it out? You two are acting like _children_ \- honestly, have either of you tried behaving like adults and pulling your heads out of your respective asses?”

Neither made any response.

“You _really_ should! And if you want to rip each other to shreds, be my guest,” She shrugged. “Just _don’t_ make a huge scene and make it everyone else’s business- the entire world doesn’t need to know about your weird love triangle crisis. Keep it to yourselves.”

“Now, if you’ll excuse me,” She crossed the cafeteria in a few long strides to where Hana stood. “My roommate and I have somewhere to be right about now. Far, _far_ away from all this drama.”

Hana’s wrist was grasped, and she yelped as she was pulled in the opposite direction against her will. 

She quickly took a peek behind her; Austin stood there, fists tightly clenched, looking anywhere but his rival. He looked about ready to break a table, or at the very least, scream into a pillow.

And Jeff...

His expression silently shook with culpable distress.

 

Mai had volleyball practice for the next few hours after that, thankfully. It was probably for the best; Mai could take her frustration out in her sport and Hana had some time to process everything. 

Thank _God_  her roommate intervened when she did... obviously it would’ve been _much_ worse if they were left to murder each other.

Hana pulled her phone off of the nightstand, tapping her foot anxiously. She should really talk to Austin about what happened and clear some things up... but would he really want to talk to _her_ right now?

Hana scrolled through her contacts anyway, looking for a sign of his number. She had Jirard’s... Ian’s... _hell_ , she even had _Paul’s_ , but no sign of Austin. 

In defeat, she tossed the phone to the end of the bed, splaying herself across it.

She breathed deeply, drowning herself in the soft smell of lavender and forest breeze... whatever that was supposed to smell like. 

If she could just float there, completely undeterred from the chaos and stigma of her peers, life would be perfect. 

Breaking her out of her trance, her phone chimed once. Then again, barely a moment later. She lifted her head, shifting herself to effortlessly grab her phone. 

Her heart stopped. Two short notifications, both from her boyfriend. 

[Joof] 10:47 - Austin wants us to meet him in his dorm tomorrow. 

[Joof] 10:47 - He says he wants to talk. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol their friendship got fucking destroyed
> 
> (also idk how fights work if you can’t tell-)


	7. we can all agree on frustration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y’all, sorry this took so long to update!! don’t worry, i haven't abandoned this fic. i just got out of school for the summer a few days ago, so now hopefully ill have some more time to write the words!!

Standing in front of Austin’s door, a hand ready to knock, used to be an exciting thing.

This was _definitely_ not an example.

The giddy feeling in Jeff’s chest, the knowledge that the next few hours were going to be filled with careless laughter and startings of running jokes that only they’d understand…

That feeling was all but gone now.

The only thing Jeff felt right now was guilt.

Hana was stood next to him, brows knitted and eyes wide, like she was about to cry. And honestly, that was warranted.

Jeff wanted to reach out and pick her up, pull her close and run, take the both of them away so they wouldn’t have to deal with this mess but…

That’s what caused the mess in the first place.

His hand fell to his side, immediately reaching out for Hana’s grasp. She flinched a little, tugging her gaze from the door to her boyfriend.

The hesitancy in her slightly parted lips was unbelievably pitiful. Jeff’s brain fought a little bit before he decided on his best comforting look, a lukewarm smile on his face. “Hey, it’s going to-”

In that instant, Austin had pulled open the door, eyes travelled down to their hands.

Needless to say, they pulled away faster than you could say ‘fuck’.

Austin grimaced. “...are you done?”

He took their embarrassed silence as a yes.

Austin sighed, shaking his head as he beckoned them into his room with a hand.

Jeff trailed in behind Hana, taking in the sights, breathing in the almost nostalgic smell of cinnamon. Austin’s room was a mess, per usual, but it was oddly… comforting.

Also odd, the sights brought Jeff back to an easier time.  


 

_“Dude, how do I say something to her? Like… how- how does a guy just start a conversation like ‘Oh hey! I think we know each other from somewhere, but it’s not like we saw each other in the store or something. It’s more like we used to be friends but fell apart for some reason and it looks like you don’t remember me.”_

_Jeff sat on the floor at the foot of Austin’s bed. Through bleary eyes caused by a long night and the half-stress and half-annoyance of yet another Hana Crisis, he watched Austin throw together a half-assed, last minute science project._

_Instead of answering his friend’s question with actual dignity, Jeff yawned. “Dunno, dude.”_

_Austin huffed a chuckle. “Isn’t it just so… weird, though? Toss me the glue,” Jeff tossed him the glue. “You up late last night or something? Cramming this stupid project, too?”_

_“Nah, I finished it in, like, a week after we got it,” Austin balked. “Hey, it’s not_ **_my_ ** _fault that_ **_you’re_ ** _just bad at time management!”_

_“Shut up, man! I have better things to do!” Austin chucked an eraser at his friend, who blocked it with a light laugh. “So, why’re you all tired?”_

_Memories of last night, kissing Hana under the moonlight, a hand in her hair, filtered into Jeff’s head. He told a lie. “No reason. Just had a hard time sleeping, I guess.”_

_Austin blinked at his response. He felt the need to say something, but instead preoccupied himself with cutting out a bumpy star for his poster. “That sucks.”_

_Neither of them spoke much after that._

_After an awkward few minutes of unaddressed tension, Jeff’s phone buzzed twice in quick succession. He pocketed his phone after checking and broke the silence. “Sorry, Peebs- Caddy just texted me and he needs my help with something. I don’t really know.”_

_Austin stared in his seat as Jeff got to his feet with an exhale._

_Jeff ruffled his jacket out. “See ya, man.” Unfortunately, Jeff barely made it a foot to the door before being interrupted._

_“Wait- Jeff!” Austin whirled his chair around, gracelessly throwing his scissors to the desk. “Before you go, I just… I wanted to ask you.”_

_Jeff blanked, his mind moving slower than his mouth. “Ask me what?”_

_Austin sighed. “I’ve noticed, like… you just seem so…_ **_tired_ ** _lately. And stressed. And especially when it’s just you and me, you- you just seem so… out of it.”_

_Jeff frowned. “Everything’s fine, Austin,” Another lie. “You don’t need to police me.”_

_“Police you? Jeff, this is just me trying to be a decent friend!”_

_“Well, you don’t need to worry about me!” Jeff groaned, frustration building. “Like I said, everything’s fine, so just leave it.”_

_“Dude, when you’re talking like this, it makes it feel like there really_ **_is_ ** _something wrong!” In that moment, it clicked to Jeff that Austin was standing, too, and it made him wonder if he really paid as much attention as he thought he did. “I’m your best friend, and as your best friend, you should be able to tell me_ **_anything_** _-”_

_“Best friends don’t pry, Austin!”_

_The quiet realization dawned on Austin’s face, and the buzz following his statement was deafening. “Jeff, I…” He swallowed. “Sorry.”_

_Jeff shook his head. “It’s… it’s fine,” He crossed the room, reaching for the door handle. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”_

_“You know that you can still tell me anything, right?” Jeff’s footsteps paused, right before he was about to leave. He looked over his shoulder; Austin was frowning at him with legitimate concern. “No matter what. You’re my best friend, and nothing can change that.”_

_Austin cracked a smile, his expression so genuine it was sickening. “I promise.”_

_A familiar anxiety rose to Jeff’s throat, and he knew he had to end this sooner or later. He forced a grin. “I know. Thanks.”_

_He swept a look around Austin’s room, hoping to find something to help make the parting a little more lighthearted. “Fold your laundry, and maybe I’ll consider telling you.”_

_Austin’s face lightened. “Aye, aye, Captain.” He did a cheesy salute with the wrong hand, and Jeff closed the door with finality._

_With a shaky sigh, he leaned on the wall for a bit of much needed physical and moral support._  


 

…Okay, so maybe those times weren’t as easy as Jeff thought. But it sure as hell was more comfortable than _this_.

It didn’t feel like there was enough space between him and Hana, even with there being a good two and a half feet between them as they sat on opposite ends of the couch.

Austin pulled out his desk chair, rolling it over the wooden floor to face the accused.

“So…” Austin folded his arms like a stern parent. “Be honest. Were either of you planning to tell me about… _this?_ ” He gestured to the both of them.

Hana’s eyes flicked momentarily to her boyfriend, who was avoiding any and all eye contact. Seeing that Jeff wasn’t going to be of any help anytime soon, Hana took initiative.

“I’m sorry, Austin. We just… _I_ didn’t know how to bring it up, and then it felt too late to say anything, so…” Hana trailed off, her eyes glued to her linked palms. “You have the right to be upset.”

“You’re not the one I’m mad at, Hana,” Austin mused. “I’m mad at this guy over here.”

Austin gestured to Jeff, not even batting an eye to him. “Never thought he’d go as far as going behind my back with something like this.”

If Austin was trying to coax a reaction out of Jeff, it was so far ineffective. Jeff merely sat there, unflinching to the words.

Hana shot a quick glance to her boyfriend. “...Oh.”

“So this has been a thing for a while, according to Shane,” Austin murmured idly, to no one in particular. “Three whole months. Wow.”

His ‘exclamation’ held no actual excitement, not that it wasn’t obvious. Hana bit her lip.

“Honestly, I’m not all that shocked that this was happening behind my back.” Austin’s airy tone suggested something, that this entire conversation had been scripted and prepared for this specific moment.

Jeff finally looked up to Austin- whatever he was trying to pull, Jeff wasn’t having any of it.

Hana blinked. “I… I’m sorry?”

“Well, it’s just a given that a relationship that’s one-half naive and another half selfish liar be easy to hide.” Austin put it out simply- casually, even- and lounged back like he had nothing to lose.

Jeff’s hand trembled, and he sat up a bit straighter. “What… the _fuck_ did you just call me?” His voice was filled with passionate temper and the younger boy faltered.

Austin opened his mouth to answer, but Jeff interjected.

“You have some real nerve calling _me_ selfish!”

The panic rose to Austin’s chest; whatever reaction he was expecting, it wasn’t _this._ “Jeff, please- calm down-”

“Calm down? Austin, why the hell am _I_ always the one who needs to calm down?!” Jeff’s voice raised into a shout, letting loose his frustration. “You don’t get to talk right now! I’m sick and tired of this shit- I’m _always_ the one who has to be the selfless sidekick or else _I’m_ the bad guy!”

Jeff stood up, his eyes not leaving Austin’s. “And, hey- maybe I am! _Maybe_ I _fucking_ am!” He laughed, his breath wearing out. “But have you even thought that maybe, just _maybe-_ maybe I’m not! Maybe _I’m_ the one who’s being hurt! Maybe _I’m_ the one who’s been upset and sleep deprived over this! Maybe _I’m_ the one who has to choose his best friend over a girl because of some weird, messed up, unfair love triangle!”

Jeff paused, leaving the tension in the air. His voice cracked. “Maybe this system is unbalanced.”

Hana’s mind was a mess of confusion and conflict. “U-Unbalanced..? Jeff, what… what do you mean?” She looked to Austin, his face devoid of color. “Austin?”

Jeff had the same idea, looking to his rival. His eyes widened in realization, and he coughed a humorless chuckle. “Oh, really, she doesn’t know? You’re really just going to avoid this forever?”

Austin no longer held any distrust at his friend, only distress. He stood up, finally, trying to meet eye-to-eye. “Dude, please-”

“Here I am, doing what frames you as the good person, listening to your shit, taking the blame because otherwise I’d be even more guilty than I apparently already am, and you don’t even have the guts to tell Hana?!”

“Tell me what?” Hana crossed between them, not knowing who to look at. “What is it that neither of you are telling me?!”

Jeff gaped at the taller’s petrified expression. Austin was at a loss for words, and Jeff huffed. “Well, are _you_ going to tell her? Or do I need to?”

This kicked Austin in the shins. “J-Jeff, wait-”

“Hana, it’s obvious everything is _fucked-”_ Jeff swore, now facing his girlfriend. “My friendships, all three of our reputations, and our own relationship, so might as well pull the damn trigger!”

“Dude, you don’t know what you’re-”

“But it gets better! It gets _soooo_ much better!” Jeff was blood red in the face, his throat raspy from speaking out. He held a hand out in the direction of his friend. “Y’know, this guy right here has got some shared _history_ with you, let’s put it that way!”

“ _Jeff!_ ”

Austin’s yell was a warning. Jeff’s hand wavered as it lowered to his side. The silence following made it particularly difficult for Jeff to catch his breath.

“Shared history? Jeff, what are you- I’m not following?” Hana questioned, her eyes worried. “Please, can _either_ of you just tell me straightforward what’s going on?”

Austin’s gaze on Hana flicked to Jeff. An unspoken plea caught in his throat, but Jeff didn’t catch it. He continued.

“Hana, you know that kid from your childhood? Y’know, the one with the jokes and the star stickers?”

Silence hung heavy in the air. The unspoken truth weighed down on all three of them, and now it was just unbearable.

Jeff choked the confession out. “He’s standing right in front of us.”

All traces of color drained from Hana’s cheeks. You could scoop up the room’s tension and pour it into little mason jars, preserving it for a later date.

“You’re… Jeff, you’re lying,” Hana stammered out. Her head filled with metaphorical static, and it was suddenly impossible to feel anything but her increasing heart rate. “Jeff, please tell me you’re lying.”

Hana turned to face Austin. His face was as pale as a ghost. “Tell me he’s lying.”

Against her wishes, Austin hesitantly shook his head no. “He’s… he’s not. It’s… it’s _me_ , Hana, the kid next door. I wasn’t even sure if you’d remember me, but it’s… all true.”

Hana was frozen in thought, and Austin took a few steps closer to her. “We used to be best friends, but then there was the move and we lost contact and-”

“I don’t believe this,” Hana cut in, struggling to keep her voice steady. She stepped back, looking to both the boys. “You… you knew this?”

The question was directed to Jeff, but he was given no time to answer.

“You knew this… for _how_ long? And you just _now_ decided to tell me?!”

“Hana, I can explain-” Jeff reached out for her hand but she pulled away.

“You can’t just leave me out of the loop on something like this! He was my _best friend-_ you have no idea how much he meant to me!” Hana choked back a sob, upset tears brimming at her eyes. “And now he’s apparently here- he’s _been here_ all this time, a-and-”

The tears fell freely, and Hana couldn’t stop them if she tried. Her reaction was abrupt, and Jeff felt torn. “I… Hana, I’m- I didn’t know how to say- it wasn’t just something I could bring up, I-”

Jeff’s hand drifted to hold hers, only trying to offer her any bit of consolation or comfort that he could, but this time, she _slapped_ him away.

“ _Don’t_ touch me!” He fell back with an inhale; Hana’s eyes were wide with conflict and every breath she took was exaggerated.

“This is just so… frustrating!” Hana screwed up her face, tears still coming. She flung a hand up to her hair, grasping onto it for some sort of stability. “It’s honestly so pathetic that the only thing we can agree on right now is frustration!”

“He’s in the wrong-” Hana gestured to Austin.

“You’re in the wrong-” She pointed a finger to her partner.

“And hell- _I’m_ in the wrong, too!” The pink ball of aggravation smacked a palm to her chest. “I’m wrong for going along with this! A-And- the _entirety_ of this situation is confusing and nerve wracking and honestly I- I’m just-”

An epiphany hit her head like a bullet train. “I’m…” Hana’s hands lowered, and the dust cleared. The boys in front of her waited for a response, stunned.

“I’m done with this.” She blinked away stray tears, wiping the tracks on her cheeks furiously away with her sleeve. “...I can’t anymore.”

Without a second remark, Hana turned tail and made her way to the door, slipping on her shoes. The aftershock hit Jeff, finally, and just as she was about to slip out, he caught her wrist. “Wait!”

Hana flipped her head around to face him. Her heart was pounding, but she couldn’t struggle free. “Hana, I’m sorry, I really am- but please- can we just talk this out? I can clear up everything, it’s just-”

“So now you want to be honest with me?”

The weight left Jeff’s chest; he was numb. “Wh… what?”

Her words held no emotion. She couldn’t make eye contact. “The past three months, I trusted you. I trusted your judgement, and I felt like we- no… _you_ were doing the right thing.”

She finally pulled herself from his hold. He had no control over her anymore.

“I’m sorry, but you were only doing it to protect yourself.”

The truth shot him in the chest. Hana continued. “All of the lying and the secrets and the sneaking around… none of it helped anything. Everything that’s happened… it shouldn’t have. And this…”

She took a reflective step back. “It shouldn’t have happened.” Tears came back to her, brimming on her eyelashes but not spilling. “Please don’t follow me. We both need some time to sort things out.”

Hana was stationary at first, but soon the present caught up to her. The crying resumed as she spun around, the sound of her heels in the wooden hallway echoing as she slipped away.

Jeff could only shiver and watch. His shoulders slackened, and the stress wrapped around his mind like a serpent.

There was nothing he could be upset about now.

After all, she was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yikes,,,,,, this ain’t looking so good
> 
> not entirely satisfied with how this chapter turned out but. oh well *shrug*
> 
> (also none of y’all better comment on this no more this is at 69 comments, the funny sex number!!!!!)
> 
> (jk you can comment)


	8. conflict (of physical and emotional nature)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this hasn’t. been updated at all in the last few months haha ,, im getting back into this drama funk though so that’s good i think
> 
> also catch me constantly just,,,,, sobbing over these dumbasses

“…Hana?”

Jeff’s knuckles rapped on his girlfriend’s door thrice, then thrice again after receiving no answer.  

“Hana, can you… can you please let me in? I… I’m sorry, and I just want to talk this out.” His nerves were fried- after Hana had stormed off (and rightfully so), Austin had awkwardly dismissed the situation, claiming he had ‘homework’. 

Right. Because that made perfect sense. Austin doing homework was just about as likely as Ian and Caddy finally coming to an agreement or some kind of truce or _whatever-_  they didn’t really matter right now. 

Jeff was at a dead end; Hana obviously didn’t want to talk, but it wasn’t like she could just- they _had_ to talk this out! She couldn’t just ignore him like this, not after everything that just happened!

The boy sighed. He rests his forehead against the door, cold and smooth. “Please, Hana, it’s all I’m asking-”

Her door flew open at that, a bit of _hope_ dragging up his chest as he fumbled a step back-

Only to be met with rage incarnate, Mai Sasaki.

“What the _fuck_ is your problem, _Fabre?!_ ”

Mai slammed the door shut behind her, almost hard enough to splinter. “Look, that shit I said yesterday about you being a ‘decent guy’ or whatever? Turns out- I was wrong! Hana came to me _in tears,_ and I’ll have you know, I don’t take to that lightly!”

Jeff’s guard fell, and his back hit the wall- he was cornered. “You are a manipulative _liar_ and you do not even deserve to be walking upon the same _ground_ as Hana!” By now, dozens of heads were poking out of doors, all drawn towards the chaos in the center of the hall. Tense whispers filled the area, only adding to the drama.

“M-Mai, please I- I can explain,” Jeff’s voice cracked, the pressure of all eyes on him bearing down on his mind. “I just- let me talk to Hana, _please-_ ”

“Too late, buster! I’m pissed, she’s upset, and there’s no way you’re getting out of this alive!”

“Who the hell do you even think you are?! How many pathetic grains of common sense do you hold onto in your rodent brain?!” Mai huffs a frustrated chuckle. She puts a hand to her forehead. “This is ridiculous- how could you even begin to _think_ that going behind your friend’s back and dating his crush- all while contorting the truth to make that same girl hide this twisted relationship -was a good idea?!”

He opens his mouth to answer, but Mai interjects. “Hypothetical question, shut your goddamn mouth!”

“Look, Jeff, just so everyone knows we’re on the same page,” The living flame grabs a fistful of Jeff’s shirt, eyes burning a hole through his soul. “If I so much as catch you talking to, looking at, or even _thinking_ about my best friend-” She leans in, whispering a threat for only his ears to hear. 

“I promise you, the last thing you will see is my _wicked grin as your blood drips down my bare hands._ ”

She releases the petrified boy, ‘accidentally’ shoving him to the floor in the process. Mai stomps through the hall back to her own door, a hand gripping the handle. “You have a lot to think about now, jackass- good _day._ ”

The door crashes behind the redhead; Mai puts a hand to her temple. The air in her room was noticeably cooler, and she lets out a groan. “I swear to God, Hana, I struggle through a perpetual migraine.”

She crosses the room, plopping down on the bottom bunk next to her still sniffling roommate. Hana shifts where she’s seated, giving Mai a bit more room. 

“Is… is he gone?”

“Yep,” Mai playfully nudges her shoulder, hoping to lighten the mood. “Told him off and everything. He’d be a _real_ fool to come back around now.”

The joke bounced off Hana, and she brought her knees to her chest. “…do you think I overreacted?”

“Uh, _what?_ ” Her roommate balked. “Girl, if anything, you _underreacted_. I’d have _immediately_ smacked some sense into him if I were you.”

Hana shrugs. “It’s just… I can see where he’s coming from and I understand why he did what he did, but… it still hurts being lied to.”

“Yeah, I _guess_ I could understand his excuses…” Mai screwed up her face. “But still. He hurt you, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive him for that.”

“I don’t know, Mai…” Hana leaned her head onto her friend’s shoulder, relishing in the warm contact. “He lied to me, about the situation with Normal Boots and Austin…”

The pink haired girl scrunched up into a tighter ball. “It just makes me… so _frustrated_ and _confused_  that Austin was here the whole time and I didn’t even know- but Jeff knew! And he didn’t tell me!” 

“Yeah…” Mai wraps an arm around her friend. “You three definitely have some funky love triangle shit to work out.”

Hana chuffs a humorless chuckle. The roommates sit in level, contemplative silence for what must’ve been minutes, interrupted only when Hana speaks up again. 

She exhales a wavering breath. “I know I’ve been saying ‘I don’t know’ a lot but I… I _really_ don’t know what to do, Mai…” Hana hiccups, her words barely more than a whisper. “I like Jeff a lot- I really do -but he _lied_ to me, and he m-made me hide things from almost everyone when _everything_ would’ve been so much easier if we came clean and-”

The tears came flooding back against her will, and this time Mai wrapped her friend fully into a hug, a hand on her hair. 

“Hey, it’s okay, Hana. Just take your time. It’s going to be okay.” Mai’s tone was plaintive, her heart breaking more and more at each choked sob. 

“I-I just feel so betrayed, Mai- I put too much trust into some s-stupid boy, and I know that makes _me_ stupid, too, but I-I-”

Mai couldn’t take this any more- she separates from Hana, holding her cheeks in her palms. “Hana, look at me- you are _not_ stupid for trusting him. It’s unfortunate, but sometimes people just turn out to be asses, no matter how much faith you put in them. Understand?”

Hana manages to hold back a lingering sniffle, nodding once. The redhead gives her a sad smile. “That’s my girl.”

Mai kisses the top of Hana’s head, sending warmth throughout the girl’s chest. They embrace once more, Mai’s dialogue continuing. “I’m not going to control what you do- that’d be a jerk move of me -but remember that I’m with you one billion, _trillion_ percent of the way, no matter what you decide to do. There’s no way for you to get rid of me, whether you like it or not!”

Hana’s arms tighten around her friend. “Thank you, Mai. For everything.” She rests her cheek on Mai’s shoulder, a twinge of what could only be described as butterflies settling in her stomach.

Inevitably, the silence returns once more, as it does when you get your feelings out. Only this time, the quiet was significantly (and strangely) warmer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ootl will return in four to six months 
> 
> (jk im not gonna do that to you id suffer too)


End file.
